


Dog and Wolf

by Shane_for_Wax



Series: Pro Cerberus Shepard [11]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 07:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6648460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shane_for_Wax/pseuds/Shane_for_Wax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little musing on how Leng and Shepard came to be partnered, but later on down the line than the other Pro-Cerberus Shepard AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dog and Wolf

One single word. That's all it took.

After years of working side-by-side, back-to-back, whatever you want to call it. After years of being so close physically and emotionally and mentally. It just took one word. 

Not even just the word. But the tone behind it. Weary, almost released during an exhale of breath. 

"You okay?" it wasn't often said. Generally they could tell just by looking. But the prompt was the key. It was when no matter the _verbal_ answer, the true answer was already known. 

"Yeah."  _No_. "I'm fine."  _I'm losing it_. 

Blood was dripping freely from multiple open wounds. 

 _I had to know I could still feel_.  _That I was still human_. 

The wolf was tired. So tired. Of fighting. Mentally and physically. But nothing would make her stop. Not until the last breath was expelled from her lungs. Different kind of fight was the cure, wasn't it?

She had always been the more loose cannon of the two. Going out and finding a fight hadn't been hard for her. Lots of people to still fight and kill, even with the Reapers still culling the herds human and alien alike. 

Leng was quiet. The only noise was his breathing. Even his breathing seemed loud to Shane's ears, though. A... side effect of the blood lust recently sated. He had long been able to translate 'Shane-speak'. But there was nothing he could do except patch her up like all the other times. 

"The Illusive Man said--"

"I don't give a fuck what he said, Leng."

There was a pause.

" _He said_ you can't go out alone anymore. Each time you do this you come back worse off than the last time."

"Wasn't aware he cared that much. Not like he can't clone me or somethin' if I get killed out there."

"He wants the real article. A clone wouldn't have your experiences or mental prowess."

The argument wasn't anything new. Hell, Shane was sure they were just literally repeating themselves. 

"You're not going with me, Leng."

"You don't have a choice in this,  _Shepard_." The two played the same game and had been playing it for years. 

"You follow me and I'll run you through with your own fucking sword."

"Funny. Considering you're the only one who could. I'm still going."

Leng was the assassin and finesse. Shane was the berserker and brute force. They complimented each other in ways no other two-person team could or had ever done. But that didn't mean Shane didn't have a little of the sneak in her to slip away from Leng if she needed to. Still...

"...I'm going to get cleaned up."

Most people would take that as unsaid acceptance. Leng knew better. Shane wasn't backing down, she was just literally too tired to continue fighting about it. He wasn't going to say anything, though. He was satisfied for the moment. 

Wordlessly, he offered a hand. After a second, Shane took it to get to her feet. Movements were somewhat unsteady but it took a trained eye like Leng's to detect it. 

He followed behind her. She'd need his help with the medigel. 

Send a dog to kill a wolf and look what happens? The dog just ends up joining the wolf's pack. 


End file.
